Don't Lie to Me
by Var
Summary: “You are falling in love with me Stella. And soon, you will be willing to do anything I ask of you.” Ben ensnares an OC while in the Hatch. Will she be able to withstand him, or will she be lost? Set in season 2 when we meet Ben. Complete!
1. The Armory

Disclaimer: I make no profit from this. Ben and all of the other Lost characters, and all of Evanescence's lyrics do not belong to me. Stella, however, is mine.

While listening to Evanescence's CD The Open Door, I realized how perfect it went with the story, so I decided to incorporate it! Each chapter goes with a song on the CD. All lyrics will be italicized.

AU: I have had to change up the timeline a bit to make everything fit. Hope it makes sense!

The Armory

"**_Sweet Sacrifice_"-**Evanescence

"_**Fear is only in our minds,**_

_**taking over all the time."**_

Stella cautiously opened the door to the armory balancing the tray of food in her hand. She got nervous every time she went into the room. Something was very wrong with the situation. Having an "Other" here with them could bring no good.

Henry sat on his cot looking straight ahead of him at the wall. Since Sayid, Ana-Lucia, and Charlie had discovered that he wasn't the real Henry Gale he hadn't said much. In fact he hadn't said anything to anyone, even when they tortured him again. The one exception was Stella. Every so often he would talk to her. A few words here and a chuckle there. It wasn't much but it helped.

A week ago when Henry had been brought down into the Hatch, Stella had volunteered to tend to him. She wasn't even sure why she had done it, but it gave her something to do. So now everyday, three times a day she would bring him food and clean his arrow wound. Now that they all knew he was an Other his hands were tied and she carried a hand gun with her.

"_**One day, I'm gonna forget your name."**_

"Good morning Henry." She said as she walked in. Even though he rarely talked she found herself talking to him all of the time.

"Cereal today, I hope that's alright." Stella said as she set the tray down and turned toward him. She saw his quick smirk before he was able to hide it.

Stella sat down next to him on the cot and pulled back his shirt to look at his bandages. "Let's get this cleaned up, okay?"

"You were a teacher weren't you, before the island?" Henry said softly.

Stella was caught off guard not only by his question but him actually talking.

"I was; I am. Wow, that seems like a lifetime ago. How could you tell?"

"You are a nurturer. I can tell by the way you talk; your actions. Not many would volunteer to stay with the murderer."

"Oh come now, they haven't proven that you killed that man. They just need to be sure." Stella had removed his bandage and was cleaning the wound.

"Sure of what?" he asked finally turning to look at her.

Stella looked at him, into blue eyes that could be very cold, but right now they were soft, curious.

"_**Do you wonder why you hate?**_

_**Are you still too weak to survive your mistakes?"**_

"That there isn't another accident. Ethan shouldn't have been treated like that. No one deserves that."

"Ethan was a good man. He felt very deeply for Claire. He tried to talk us out of our plan for her. He might have succeeded if things had gone differently."

Stella took Henry's hand in her own. "I'm sorry Henry; I know it's hard to lose family."

"Thank you Stella, but I know you had nothing to do with it. Ethan told me you were a good person, and he was right."

Stella finished cleaning the wound and put a new dressing on it.

When she reached the door she turned back to him.

"It's going to be alright Henry, you know that?"

He smiled at her and she smiled back.

"Ben." He said.

"What?" she asked.

"My name is Ben."


	2. What Ben Did

Disclaimer: I make no profit from this. Ben and all of the other Lost characters, and all of Evanescence's lyrics do not belong to me. Stella, however, is mine.

While listening to Evanescence's CD The Open Door, I realized how perfect it went with the story, so I decided to incorporate it! Each chapter goes with a song on the CD. All lyrics will be italicized.

AU: I have had to change up the timeline a bit to make everything fit. Hope it makes sense!

Warning!! This chapter has to do with a seriously scary issue; rape. If this will offend or affect you please do not read.

What Ben Did

"**_Snow White Queen"_**-Evanescence

"_**Stoplight lock the door,**_

_**don't look back."**_

Stella entered the combination into the lock on the armory door. As she pulled it open she saw Henry, no Ben, sitting on his cot like he normally was. She was having a hard time getting used to the fact that his real name was Ben and not Henry. It didn't help that she still had to call him Henry around everyone else. Though Ben hadn't asked her to, for some reason she felt it was better to keep his real name a secret.

"How was your night Ben?" Stella asked once she had closed the door behind her.

"Lonely Stella. It was lonely." He answered his eyes meeting hers.

Something in his eyes startled Stella. There was something in them that made him seem different. It scared her just a bit.

"Well, I am sorry to hear that Ben. Maybe tonight will be better."

"Why do you do that?" he asked her an edge coming to his voice.

"Do what?" Stella asked leaning against the ledge across from him.

"Talk to me like I am a child. You don't talk to John or Jack like that."

"Ben, I don't know what you are talking about."

"You do Stella and you damn well know it. You talk to me like I am some young boy, not a man."

Stella could see that Ben was becoming really agitated. She wasn't really sure what to do. She had always seen the calm, collected Ben.

"I'm sorry that you think that way, but this is the same way I talk all of the time. It's the same voice I use when I am teaching." Stella tried to stop her sentence, but it was too late.

"When you are teaching your students who are children."

"Ben, I don't think of you as a child."

"Don't lie to me, Stella. I'll show you, I'll prove to you I am not some child to be coddled."

"_**I can't escape the twisted way you think of me."**_

Suddenly Ben leapt from the cot at Stella. He grabbed her by her arms and threw her on the cot. He must have found a way to get loose of the ropes binding his arms and legs because they fell in a heap on the floor.

Ben took the gun out of the waistband of her jeans and for a second Stella was afraid he was going to shoot her, but he threw the gun to the floor.

Ben grabbed her again and flipped her onto her back. She tried to scream for help but he put his hand over her mouth.

Stella began to cry. What had happened to her quiet, gentle Ben? She had thought Jack and Locke were being paranoid keeping him under heavy guard but now it seemed like they were right.

"You will see," Ben told her. "You will see."

"_**You belong to me**_

_**My snow white queen**_

_**There's nowhere to run so let's just get it over.**_

_**Soon I know you'll see you're just like me.**_

_**Don't scream anymore my love cause all I want it you."**_

Stella didn't know what she was going to see but she did know she was scared. Scared turned into terrified when Ben unbuttoned her jeans.

He saw her eyes widen as she started to fight against him. "Hush now Stella, it will be all right." He crooned as he held her down and bent to kiss her forehead.

This was not the man Stella had come to know in the past days. The man on top of her looked possessed, like he wasn't in control of himself.

Stella pleaded with her eyes as Ben pulled off her jeans. She couldn't handle the though of what was about to happen. How could he do this to her?

Stella squeezed her eyes closed as Ben entered her. Right now she wished for nothing but death. More tears fell before everything went black.

"_**Wake up in a dream**_

_**Frozen fear**_

_**All your hands on me**_

_**I can't scream"**_

When Stella woke up she felt two strong warm arms wrapped around her. She thought she must still be dreaming when suddenly everything came back to her. She tried to jump up but Ben held her down.

"Shh, Stella, shh. It's okay."

"It's not okay, you bastard, you raped me!" Stella said as she continued to fight against him. How had he gotten so damn strong?

"Stella, I'm sorry."

Stella froze, and then turned to look at Ben. The last thing she had expected him to do was apologize.

"You're sorry?"

"Yes Stella, I'm sorry, but it had to be done. It had to be done." He said again kissing her palm.

Stella was trying very hard to stay calm. If there was some kind of explanation for what he had done she wanted to hear it. Then she would kill him.

"Why did it have to be done?"

Ben looked into her eyes, and Stella knew he really meant what he was saying. These eyes weren't of the man who had just forced himself on her. These were the kind, intelligent eyes of the man she had come to know.

"You were taking to long." Was all he said.

"I was taking to long? Taking to long for what?"

"You were taking to long falling in love with me." He answered.

"What? You raped me because I was taking to long to fall in love with you?" Stella pushed his arms away and this time he let her go. She walked to the corner of the room. The farthest she could get from him.

"_**I'm losing my mind**_

_**and you just stand there and stare as my world divides."**_

"So, did you think that raping me was going to help move your timeline along?" she asked.

"Yes, Stella, please understand."

"No, you understand this Ben. What you did was horrible and unforgivable. I thought that you were a decent man, a good person, and this is what you do. You deserved everything that Sayid did to you. And if your people are anything like you I hope we get a chance to kill them all."

"Stella, you don't mean that." Ben said standing up from the bed.

"Yes, I do, and don't you dare come any closer to me." Stella saw her gun on the ground near her feet and grabbed it, pointing it at Ben's chest.

"Ok, Stella. I won't come any closer. Are you going to shoot me Stella?" he asked.

"You don't know how much I would like to. But like you said, I am a good person." Stella put the gun back into the waistband of her jeans and settled for punching Ben as hard as she could in the mouth instead.

"I hope you rot in here." She said as she walked to the door.

"You'll come back to me Stella. You will." Ben said to her back.

Stella ripped the door open and stepped out slamming the door behind her. "I will not."


	3. The Regret

Disclaimer: I make no profit from this. Ben and all of the other Lost characters, and all of Evanescence's lyrics do not belong to me. Stella, however, is mine.

While listening to Evanescence's CD The Open Door, I realized how perfect it went with the story, so I decided to incorporate it! Each chapter goes with a song on the CD. All lyrics will be italicized.

AU: I have had to change up the timeline a bit to make everything fit. Hope it makes sense!

The Regret

"**_Lithium"_**-Evanescence

"_**Lithium**_

_**Don't want to lock me up inside.**_

_**Lithium**_

_**Don't want to forget how it feels without**_

_**Lithium**_

_**I want to stay in love with my sorrow**_

_**Oh, but God I want to let it go."**_

Stella asked John and Ana Lucia if they would see to Ben for a few days. When they asked her why she lied and told them she just needed to get out of the hatch and get some fresh air.

The truth was if she stayed in the hatch, so close to Ben she knew she would kill him. She needed to get away from him. She needed time to think; so she went to the beach.

When she finally got there she was able to take a breath of relief. There was nothing more calming to her than sitting on the beach looking out over the water. She found a good spot away from everyone and sat down. She watched the waves for a long time before she began to cry.

A few hours later Stella decided to make her way to the camp. She hadn't seen everyone in a few days and felt like being around people. The first person she saw was Claire. She was holding Aaron, rocking him in her arms. Claire looked up as Stella approached.

"Hi, Stella! Where have you been?" she asked smiling.

"Oh, in the hatch, helping with the prisoner. You know, no one else really wanted to do it."

"I bet; that place gives me the creeps. Well, Aaron has missed you. Would you mind taking him for a second? I need to run and take care of some business, if you know what I mean."

Stella laughed, "Of course I'll watch him. Take your time." Stella took the baby in her arms and watched Claire walk away.

"Hey little one." She crooned looking down at Aaron. He smiled up at her waving his arms and grabbing at her hair.

"Well look at that. The warden has returned. How's ole' Henry doing, Teach?" Sawyer said walking past her.

Stella laughed at his nickname for her. "Hello Sawyer. He's doing as well as can be expected after what he's been through."

"Well, he deserves a lot more than he got. I don't know why the doc won't let Sayid back in there with him."

"Look at you so quick to judge. If I'm right, you know full well what Sayid can do. And here you are wishing it on someone else."

Sawyer started to say something the defend himself, but Stella was done listening.

"Goodbye Sawyer." She said turning away from him.

What was going on? Had Stella really just defended Ben? After what he had done earlier was she really still trying to protect him? Stella pushed the thought of Ben out of her mind and settled on playing with Aaron instead.

"_**Don't want to let it lay me down this time**_

_**Drown my will to fly**_

_**Here in the darkness I know myself**_

_**Can't break free until I let it go**_

_**Let me go"**_

Stella stayed at the beach for eight days. Nearly every thought she had was about Ben and for that single fact alone she made herself stay away. She no longer wanted to kill him or cause him harm. In fact she found that she wasn't really mad at him anymore. That scared her more then anything.

The thing that finally made her go back into that damn hatch was her sense of responsibility. She knew that she had said she would take care of Ben and she couldn't let John and Ana Lucia continue to do her work for her. So on the ninth day she made her way back to the hatch. When she walked in she saw John sitting at the computer. He looked up when she stopped at the door.

"Stella, it's good to see you back. How was the beach?"

"I think it did me a lot of good. Thank you for watching Henry. I'll take over now."

"Ok, I think Ana Lucia is in with him now. I'll let her know that you're back."

"It's okay John, I can tell her."

"No, no I'll do it."

John stood up and walked out of the room and to the armory. Stella was confused and thought something may be going on. Her suspicion were confirmed when Ana Lucia walked by her. She had bruises on her neck like she had been choked and she didn't look very happy.

Once John and Ana Lucia were out of her way Stella went into the armory. She saw Ben tied to the floor. He had been beaten.

"Oh my God, what have they done to you?" she asked kneeling beside him.

Ben lifted his head from where he had been laying.

"I told you, you would come back." He whispered.

"Oh shut up. What did you do to give them reason to beat you?" Stella remembered the bruises on Ana Lucia's neck. "No Ben, tell me you didn't. Why would you try to hurt Ana Lucia?"

Ben lifted his head to answer but before he could he passed out and fell back onto the floor.

"Damnit." Stella said as she began untying to knots in the ropes that held him to the floor. When he was free she drug him to the cot and with a lot of work managed to get him on it. She covered him with a blanket and then left the armory to get some supplies.

While she was getting hot water out of the kitchen John walked in.

"Stella." He began but she interrupted him.

"What the hell John? Are we back to beating him senseless just for the hell of it again? You know that he won't give up any information that way."

"Stella, he tried to kill Ana Lucia."

"Oh, and I am sure she didn't do anything to provoke him right? I swear the longer we are on this island the more barbaric we are becoming. Not everything can be solved with brute force John."

Just then Ana Lucia walked into the kitchen.

"This wouldn't have even happened if you hadn't left in the first place." She said.

Stella was becoming angrier with every word.

"So this is my fault? I leave for a few days so I don't go insane in this hole and you tell me he tried to kill you because I wasn't there? No, this is all on you. You must have said or done something that set him off. I have been going in there all this time and he has never attacked me. It's your fault Ana Lucia." Stella finished gathering what she would need to tend to Ben's wounds and walked back to the door of the armory. As she entered the combination she wondered to herself why she had never thought to tell anyone that Ben had raped her.

"_**Darling, I forgive you after all.**_

_**Anything is better than to be alone.**_

_**And in the end I guess I had to fall.**_

_**Always find my place among the ashes."**_

When she got into the armory she saw that Ben was awake again.

"Stella." Was all he said.

"Shh now, I'm sorry about all that yelling. I didn't mean to wake you up. Do you think you can sit up? I want to clean those cuts on your face."

"Thank you." He said his voice becoming clearer.

"For what?" she asked dipping a cloth into the hot water.

"For coming back to me."

"I tried." Stella began, "I tried so hard to stay away from here; from you. But I couldn't do it even after what you did. What kind of spell have you put me under Ben?" she said dabbing at a cut above his eyebrow.

"No spell." He answered, "this is real. What you feel is real."

"And how could you know what I am feeling?"

"Because I am feeling it to Stella."

"_**I can't hold on to me**_

_**wonder what's wrong with me."**_

Stella stopped and looked, really looked at him. She looked into him eyes and knew that he was right. She was beginning to feel something for this man who was full of secrets.

"This could all be another one of your lies Ben. Just like to balloon. How can I trust what you are saying?"

"You can't. But I heard you talking to them out there. I heard you defending me. From what I heard it won't matter to you if I am telling you the truth or not. You are falling in love with me Stella. And soon, you will be willing to do anything I ask of you." The way he said this was so frank, so matter of the fact. He talked like he knew exactly what was going on in her head, and what agitated her the most was that he was right.

Stella finished cleaning his cuts and set the cloth back into the water.

"Do me one favor?" she asked.

"Anything." He answered immediately.

"Don't go trying to strangle anyone else okay? I can't be here to protect you all of the time."

Ben smiled. Stella instantly was in love with that smile. "I'll do my best."

Ben reached for her and kissed her softly on the lips.

Stella sighed, "My biggest regret is coming back in here with you." She said standing up and walking to the door.

"But you will be back." Ben said. It was not a question.

"Yes," Stella said a tear rolling down her face. "I will be back."


	4. The Goodbye

Disclaimer: I make no profit from this. Ben and all of the other Lost characters, and all of Evanescence's lyrics do not belong to me. Stella, however, is mine.

While listening to Evanescence's CD The Open Door, I realized how perfect it went with the story, so I decided to incorporate it! Each chapter goes with a song on the CD. All lyrics will be italicized.

AU: I have had to change up the timeline a bit to make everything fit. Hope it makes sense!

The Goodbye

"**_Good Enough"_**- Evanescence

"_**Under your spell again**_

_**I can't say no to you**_

_**Crave my heart and it's bleeding in your hand**_

_**I can't say no to you"**_

Time passed and Stella continued to take care of Ben in the hatch. She spent most of her time with him. They talked more, figuring out things about each other they never could have guessed. Stella would have never thought that Ben could play the cello and was skilled in the Tango. And Ben was surprised to find out that Stella had always harbored a secret desire for writing and wanted to learn Martial Arts. One thing Ben became sure of was that Stella was extremely paranoid. At every moment she felt that someone would barge into the armory and discover their secret.

"_**Shouldn't have let you torture me so sweetly**_

_**Now I can't let go of this dream**_

_**I can't breathe, but I feel."**_

As each day went by Stella found herself falling deeper and deeper under Ben's spell and it was obvious he knew what was happening. It seemed he always was aware of what she was thinking or how she would react to something. She was beginning to think that he knew her better than she knew herself. Still despite her reservations she could feel herself falling in love with him. She found it hard to see how anyone could not fall in love with him. Was she simply too weak to resist him? Or was he just that strong?

Before she knew it seven weeks had passed. Ben had been in the armory for over nine weeks and John and Jack had yet to come to a decision about him. Jack wanted to try to trade him for Walt, while John wanted to give him some more time and see what might happen. Stella knew that they would never agree with each other and that she was lucky Ben had lasted this long. It was only a matter of time before someone from the beach came down with a mind for vengeance.

She could tell Ben was thinking the same way though he never mentioned anything to her. He was always very secretive about everything unless it had to do with her. He would tell her how much he loved her every minute on the minute but he wouldn't reveal anything of importance about his people or his role in the island.

Though Stella knew there would be repercussions for her actions she knew she had to find a way to get Ben out of the hatch and back to his people. She barely slept each night fearing she would go into the armory in the morning and find him gone.

So she began to plot his escape and although there were holes in her plan she really thought she could make it work and at the same time keep herself away from suspicion.

Stella was almost ready to put her plan into action when Ben hit her with some news that shot all of her carefully made plans to hell.

"_**Shouldn't have let you conquer me completely**_

_**Now I can't let go of this dream."**_

"When are you going to accept the fact that you are pregnant Stella?" he asked her one day when she had joined him in the armory.

Stella was leaning against the closed door and he was sitting on the cot. She hadn't even been there long enough to untie the ropes that bound his hands and feet.

"I'm sorry, what?" she asked not positive she had heard him correctly.

"Stella, you are pregnant. You need to accept that." He said keeping his voice low and even.

"I am not pregnant Ben. Where would you get an idea like that?" she said her voice rising a little. She began pacing the small area in front of the cot.

"Darling, would you untie my hands please?" Ben asked ignoring her question.

"No, I will not. Not until you explain yourself, and don't try to butter me up by calling me darling."

"Fair enough. I will explain myself if you stop that infernal pacing."

"Oh, so we are going to play the pompous card are we? Very well, please proceed in your explanation." Stella said stopping in front of him and crossing her arms in front of her.

"Stella, you are at least two months pregnant. It must have happened the first time we," Ben was stopped with a scathing look from Stella, "well, you know. You started acting different a few weeks ago. Touching your stomach frequently, being extra careful. And your stomach has grown. You my dear are pregnant with our child." Ben finished the ever present smirk on his face. Stella could tell he was very proud of himself.

"You claim I am pregnant because I have touched my stomach a few times? And did you ever stop to think that maybe I am just getting fat?"

"Stella, you have been deserted on an island with forty other people and you think you are gaining weight? Stop denying it; we are going to have a child. Now please untie me."

Stella stood very still for a few moments not wanting to admit out loud what she already knew inside. She took a step closer to Ben and bent down to untie his hands. She barely finished before she burst into tears. Ben wrapped his arms around her and pulled her down to sit on the cot next to him.

"Ben, what am I going to do? I can't have a baby on this island! Am I supposed to raise him on the beach like Claire is doing with Aaron? What if he gets sick? I can't do this, Ben I can't." Stella was panicking now. She had known deep down she was pregnant for a while now but it was difficult coming to reality with it.

"Stella, the baby will be fine. And stop talking like you are alone in this. You are not alone. Do you think I would leave the woman I love and the mother of my child to the island's mercy?" Ben soothed running a comforting hand over her hair.

"What do you mean Ben?" she asked looking up at him.

"When I leave you will come with me." He said matter of factly.

"When you leave? How do you know you are getting out of here? They haven't made a decision yet."

"It will happen soon, and when it does you will come with me and our child will be safe. Do you understand Stella?"

"Yes, Ben I understand. When you leave I am going with you."

Another four weeks passed and Stella began to think that maybe Ben had been wrong. Maybe his people hadn't found a way to get him out. She still spent most of her time in the hatch, visiting Ben in the armory whenever she could. It was becoming harder and harder to disguise her pregnancy. She was over three months along and it was obvious she was pregnant. She did her best hiding it with baggy shirts, but she knew sooner or later someone was going to figure it out.

Ben turned out to be an eager future father and Stella was thrilled. He loved to rest his head on Stella's lap and talk to her stomach. She loved that he could so easily turn off the business side of his personality and give her and the baby all of his attention. He continuously claimed that they were going to have a little girl that he could spoil rotten. Every time he said the baby was a girl Stella counteracted, saying their child was a boy. Stella knew it was a boy, she could just feel it. But Ben refused to listen. Still his devotion to them was priceless. Stella wasn't blind. It was obvious that Ben was almost always calculating something. What it was Stella didn't know but it was plain that he had some plans and that they were big ones.

One morning Stella was sitting on the couch outside the armory reading a book when Jack and John came storming in.

"I'm tired of waiting John, we need to do something. He can't just sit in there forever. I'm taking him and we are making a trade!" Jack yelled.

"That's not a good idea Jack; we don't know anything about these people. This all could be some elaborate trap."

"I don't care John; right now Henry is the only chance we have of getting Walt back."

"You don't know that, Michael," John started but was interrupted by Jack.

"Michael is could be dead for all we know John! He could have died out there in the jungle searching for Walt. And here we are, sitting with the perfect bargaining tool and not using it. I've made up my mind John, we're leaving, now."

Jack started towards the door of the armory.

"Jack."

"No more discussion John."

Jack began entering the combination into the lock when Stella jumped up and stepped in front of him.

"Wait Jack, so you're saying you're just going to walk him out into the jungle and hope they give Walt to you? What is going to stop them from killing you and just taking him back? Or what if they don't even want him back? They haven't tried to rescue him and it has been months. Walt may be more important to them."

Jack shook his head. "So what Stella, are you agreeing with John then? You think we should just wait a few more months and see what happens?"

"No, all I'm saying is that we shouldn't just hand them our only asset on a platter. Go out there and tell them that we do have him and that he is alive. Make the offer for the trade. See if they bite."

"And what if they don't bite?"

"Then tell them you'll kill him. That should get their attention. And make it believable. Don't let them guess you are bluffing."

"Fine, but I won't be bluffing. If they don't make a deal I am coming back tonight and I'll shoot him myself." Jack said storming away.

"Jack, you don't mean that." Stella said to his back.

He turned around and came back to her, "Oh I do Stella, I do. And when I get back your not going to stand in my way are you?"

"Of course not Jack, you can even use my gun." She answered looking him fully in the eyes.

"Good." He said then left the hatch.

John was still standing in the kitchen. He looked at Stella, then the door to the armory. With a shake of his head he left.

"_**I've completely lost myself and I don't mind**_

_**I can't say no to you."**_

Stella entered the combination and shoved open the door. Ben was sitting on the cot, and she knew he had heard every word they had said.

She knelt in front of him and laid her head on his knee. Tears began to fall from her eyes as it became clear that she had almost lost him. That she could still lose him when Jack returned from the jungle.

Stella felt Ben's hand weave through her hair and sighed through her tears. She had become so dependant on him. She couldn't even imagine what she would do if he was gone.

"Now, darling don't think that way. I'm still here, right here." He said quietly.

Stella smiled; he always knew just what she was thinking.

Stella stayed with Ben for an hour before she left the armory. She didn't want to leave but she knew John was still in the hatch and didn't want to make him suspicious.

She decided that what she needed was a good walk. Anything to keep her mind off what might or might not happen tonight. As she was walking she came across a small spring with a pond she hadn't noticed before. Since she didn't see anyone around she thought it couldn't hurt to clean up a little. She removed all of her clothes except a thin chemise and her underwear then she stepped into the water.

Stella ducked under the water to get her hair wet. She never had thought a bath, in a pond or not, could feel so good. Being pregnant she had been feeling kind of; well the only way to describe it was "blah", lately and it seemed lounging in the pond was just the thing she needed. She spent about half an hour relaxing before she got out. She was squeezing the excess water out of her hair when suddenly Sayid walked out of the bushes. Stella froze and so did Sayid. It seemed he didn't realize that she had been there.

"Stella." he said his eyes noticing her very pregnant belly.

"Sayid." She said back. Her mind stopped, she couldn't think of anything to do or say. A few seconds of incredibly awkward silence followed.

"I'm sorry for intruding. I didn't realize you were here."

His words knocked Stella out of her stupor and she grabbed for her pants and put them on.

"It's okay Sayid really."

"I wasn't aware that you were pregnant Stella. Does anyone else know?"

"No, and I would prefer it that way."

"You mean you haven't told Jack?" he asked shocked.

"No, Sayid. Please don't say anything. I don't want anyone to know. It would only cause trouble."

"Why would it cause trouble? Stella who is the father of this child?" Sayid could tell something was up and was now closing the distance between them.

"Now I don't think that is any of your business."

Sayid grabbed her wrist. "Tell me who the father is Stella."

Stella knew Sayid was good at getting information out of people, but she wasn't going to tell him everything just because he was trying to scare her.

"No. I don't have to tell you anything." Stella said trying not to cringe as his hand tightened around her wrist. That was going to leave a bruise.

"You will tell me now, because if it is who I am thinking it is, then you have a lot of explaining and then some running for your life to do."

Stella thoughts were running wild. If she told Sayid the truth, that she was having an affair with Ben then she might as well pull the trigger herself. They would kill Ben and God knows what they would do to her. But if she could spin the story a bit she might be able to fool Sayid for just a little longer. Long enough to get her and Ben as far away from the camp as possible.

"I can't." Stella whimpered falling to the ground under his strength.

"Why can't you tell me Stella?" Sayid asked bending down to her level.

"He told me not to. He said if I told anyone it would cause them to lose faith in him. They wouldn't follow him anymore."

"Who Stella, who?" Sayid persisted.

"Jack, the baby's father is Jack."

Sayid dropped her arm his surprise clearly showing on his face. "But you said you hadn't told him."

"I lied. I'm not supposed to tell anyone."

Sayid just looked at her.

"Please, Sayid promise you won't say anything. I know it will have to come out eventually but right now with Henry and the mess we have; Jack really needs everyone to back him up. Can you keep it to yourself for just a while?" Stella asked.

Sayid thought for a moment. "Of course I can." He told her as he stood up. He offered her a hand and helped her from the ground.

"Thank you Sayid."

"I'm sorry about your wrist Stella. I just thought that maybe you and the prisoner."

Stella stopped him, "Please Sayid, am I that kind of person? I would never betray you all. You've become my family."

"All right Stella. I better be getting back to the beach. Will you be alright?"

"Yes, I'll set off for the hatch now."

"Goodbye Stella."

"Bye Sayid."

Stella and Sayid both began walking in opposite directions out of the clearing. Stella was almost to the edge when she heard Sayid say her name. She turned to see him at the far end of the clearing.

"Congratulations." He called.

Stella smiled at him, "Thank you." She called back and he turned and walked out of sight.

Stella started walking again. She knew there was a smirk on her face. She was very proud of herself. Apparently Ben wasn't the only one who could manipulate people.

When Stella walked back into the hatch she found it in complete chaos. Through the chaos she was surprised to see Michael sitting in the kitchen. He told his story of how he had found the Others and where they were living. By the time he was done he had a number of people, mainly Jack ready to storm their village.

Stella didn't really know what to do with all of the information Michael brought with him. She hoped this might be her chance to help Ben escape. She didn't know how long Sayid would buy her story about the baby.

Michael rested for four days and by that time they had worked up a plan. Michael, Jack, Kate, Sawyer and Hurley would go to the village and rescue Walt. Stella didn't understand why they didn't want to take more people but she didn't question it.

Ben was unusually quiet about the events the last couple days. She knew he had been able to hear all of their planning but if he had any thoughts he wasn't voicing them.

Stella wasn't able to spend as much time in the armory as she would like since so many people were coming in and out now that Michael was back. Also Ana Lucia was hanging around too much for her liking.

In the morning, one week after Michael came back; Stella was walking to the armory with Ben's breakfast.

"Here, I'll take that in." Ana Lucia said appearing at her side.

Stella was caught off guard. "No, it's okay." She said, but Ana Lucia didn't look like she was going to back down. "I've got this. If you could bring him his lunch later on that would be great. I'd like to take a walk later."

Ana Lucia looked like she was going to argue but then she said, "Fine." And Stella walked into the hatch closing the door behind her.

She set the tray down on the ledge and went to the cot were Ben was lying down. She thought he was sleeping but he opened his eyes when she kissed him lightly on cheek.

"Good morning." He said smiling at her.

Stella's heart skipped a beat like it always did when he smiled.

"Good Morning Ben."

"How is our little daughter this morning?" he asked his hands resting on her stomach.

"Our son is fine." She answered sitting on the edge of the cot. Ben shook his head still firmly under the belief that they were having a baby girl.

"You heard that out there I presume?"

"Yes, I did. It appears I'll be having another lovely chat with Ana Lucia."

"Ben, you remember what happened last time. We can't afford anything like that right now. Please stay calm."

"Darling, have you ever seen me not calm? Everything will be fine." he asked giving her hand a reassuring squeeze.

"Ok, I trust you. I can't stay. I know she's out there waiting. Be careful." Stella said as she stood up and walked to the door. Before she reached it Ben grabbed her from behind and swung her around. She was about to ask him what the hell he was doing when his mouth came crashing onto hers. He kissed her passionately before letting her go.

Stella couldn't say anything; he had stolen her breath. She simply nodded and left the armory.

Stella walked for over on hour in the jungle around the beach and the hatch. She liked talking walks. They gave her time to think without being interrupted. Unfortunately she wouldn't get a chance to think about Ana Lucia's odd behavior earlier, because Sayid came crashing through the trees. He stopped in front of her.

"We have to stop meeting like this." He said smiling.

"Well, at least this time I have clothes on." Stella said.

"What are you doing out here Stella?" he asked sitting down and taking a drink from his water bottle.

"Just taking a walk. Needed some time out of the hatch. Fresh air you know."

"How is everything going?" Sayid said eyeing her.

"You mean with the baby or with Michael's plan?"

"Both."

"I guess you could say everything is moving according to schedule, for both. Michael, Jack, Kate, Sawyer, and Hurley leave tomorrow morning for wherever."

"Are you afraid for him?"

"Afraid for whom?" Stella said sitting down across from Sayid.

"For Jack, the father of your baby is about to go do battle with the Others. That has to scare you."

"It does, but I'm trying not to think about it, you know?"

Sayid looked at Stella for a long while. "What has made you change Stella?"

"What do you mean Sayid?" she said slowly not liking to tone of his voice.

"What had happened to you to turn you into a liar? The teacher who crashed onto this island was a good, honest person who wanted nothing more than to help people. What changed?"

"I don't know what you are talking about Sayid, I haven't lied about anything." Stella stood up and began to walk but she only made it a few steps.

"I talked to Jack, Stella. He is not the father of your child."

Stella turned to look at him, "What? You said you wouldn't say anything."

"I didn't think it was safe for you to be wandering around alone all of the time. Plus taking care of the prisoner, who knows what he might try. So I went to Jack."

"I can't believe you. I can take care of myself. And I'll let you know that "the prisoner" as you call him had never intentionally tried to harm me. Jack is the one who is lying; he is the father of this child." Stella was beginning to breathe heavily; she wasn't sure how to get out of this.

"He is not; Jack is unable to have children. Wait, what do you mean he never intentionally tried to harm you. Does that mean he did something unintentionally? What has he done to you Stella?"

"I didn't mean it that way. Do I look harmed to you Sayid?" she said desperately wishing him to end the conversation.

"No, but you do look very with child. If Jack isn't the father then who is? I haven't seen you spending time with anyone, except. No Stella, it can't be true. Please tell me Henry isn't the father." Sayid was a mere foot away from her now. There would be no running away from him.

"I'm not going to tell you anything." Was all she said.

Full realization came to Sayid and his eyes blazed. "You slept with him? With Henry? He is a prisoner, and that makes you a traitor." He stepped closer to her and Stella shielded her stomach with her arms.

"What are you going to do Sayid, kill me? Are you going to kill an innocent child as well?"

"I will do what I must." He breathed raising him hands towards her neck.

Suddenly Stella fell to the ground in pain. She felt her insides twisting.

"No! No!" was all she could scream afraid she was losing her baby. She knew she had to get rid of at least one of the threats to her child. She saw a large rock by her hand and grabbed it. She swung it up at Sayid hitting him in the side of the head. The rock left a large cut and he fell to the ground unconscious.

Stella didn't know how long she laid on the ground in agony. Tears spilled down her face. She didn't think she could bear it if her child was taken away from her.

Stella woke up to silence. She didn't know how long she had been lying there. She saw Sayid still knocked out a few feet away. She stood up shakily noticing the pain was gone. She ran her hands over her stomach and everything felt all right. Then she heard a moan coming from Sayid. He was waking up.

Stella did the only thing she could think of; she ran.

She ran for what felt like hours until finally she made it back to the hatch. It didn't matter what obstacles they faced, she had to get Ben out of there now. They didn't have any more time.

She ran down the steps nearly tripping over each one. She was about to pass through the doorway to the kitchen when she heard a shot ring out. She stopped dead and saw Michael still pointing the gun at Ana Lucia. She died before her eyes. Stella heard Libby call to Michael from a different direction, then two more shots. Stella stepped silently back behind the wall to block herself from Michael's view. She didn't know what was going on and didn't want to get shot in the crossfire.

It was only when she heard the familiar clicks of the combination to the armory that she peeked around the corner. When Michael pushed the door open Ben was standing in the middle of the room looking right at him. Stella, afraid that he was going to kill Ben stepped out from behind the corner. "Ben!" she shouted.

Michael swung his gun around seconds away from shooting her too.

"No, Michael. She lives." Ben said in an authoritative voice.

Michael didn't say anything, he only nodded. Then he turned to gun towards him and shot himself in the arm.

"Ben?" Stella asked about to lose it.

Ben reached down and took Michael's gun from him. He gave him a look before he walked out of the armory. He walked to Stella and took her hand.

"Darling to you remember when you said that when I left you would leave with me?"

"_**So take care what you ask of me, cause I can't say no."**_

"Yes, of course." Stella answered.

"It is time to go." Ben pulled the still shocked Stella along with him. They went up the stairs and out into the jungle without meeting anyone.

"Stella, do you still have your gun?" Ben asked as they moved quickly but quietly.

Stella reached to her back and pulled the gun from her waistband. "Yes."

"Good, you might need to use it. Stay alert darling."

"Ben?"

"Yes, love."

"I'm very confused."

"I know love, I will explain everything later. Right now we need to find Tom."

"I think that might be a problem, Hannibal." A voice boomed from behind a tree. Sawyer stepped out holding a gun. Jack, Kate and Sayid joined him. They each had guns as well.

"Did you think you could just walk out of here Henry?" Jack said pointing his gun at Ben's chest.

Stella looked to Ben for what to do. In a flash he grabbed her and wrapped one arm around her neck, holding his gun to her head.

"_**And I'm still waiting for the rain to fall**_

_**Pour real life down on me**_

_**Cause I can't hold on to anything this good enough**_

_**Am I good enough for you to love me too?"**_

"Do you want me so badly that you are willing to kill one of your own in the crossfire?" he yelled.

Stella has to fight the urge to scream. She loved Ben and she trusted him, but this was too much.

"She is no longer one of our own. She stopped the moment she laid with you." Sayid said. Stella could see the cut on his head was still bleeding.

Ben tightened his hold on her, "Don't you mean when I raped her Sayid? I don't believe she had much of a choice in that."

Stella looked at Kate and Sawyer who were clearly taken back by that information. Jack and Sayid however could not be swayed.

"Then shoot her if you must Henry. We are not going to back down."

"Very well." Ben answered and Stella's heat stopped. "It was worth a try." He said as he left her go.

"I'm sorry darling, but it could have helped." Stella glared at him. She would deal with that later. Right now they had bigger problems.

"Stella love, if you will." Ben said as he motioned for her to step in front of him and take care of this mess.

She knew he was testing her. That he had a backup plan if she didn't succeed. But what the hell could she do against four angry people armed with guns? She couldn't think of anything else so she took off her shirt.

She threw it to the ground and all she was left with was her camisole. There was no doubt she was pregnant now that she was nearly four months along.

"I know you all are angry, but are you really going to shoot at me? I'm pregnant, and I know you all are decent people. Jack you're a doctor. Kate, Sawyer, you don't have it in you to kill me."

Stella could see their decisions wavering in their eyes. She had to move now.

"Ben?" she said.

"Yes Stella?"

"Run!" she yelled as she raised her gun. Sayid didn't flinch from the gun pointing at his face. Nor did he move an inch as Stella fired her gun changing her aim slightly as she fired. The bullet him squarely in the collarbone. Jack, Kate and Sawyer were caught off guard and by the time they aimed their guns Stella was gone.

Stella ran like hell. She knew they didn't have much time. As she was running someone grabbed her arm to stop her. It was Ben.

"You did very well Stella. Are you ready?" he asked kissing her quickly.

"Always." She said as she followed the man she loved, and had just nearly killed someone for, into the jungle.


	5. The Liar

Disclaimer: I make no profit from this. Ben and all of the other Lost characters, and all of Evanescence's lyrics do not belong to me. Stella, however, is mine.

While listening to Evanescence's CD The Open Door, I realized how perfect it went with the story, so I decided to incorporate it! Each chapter goes with a song on the CD. All lyrics will be italicized.

AU: I have had to change up the timeline a bit to make everything fit. Hope it makes sense!

The Liar

"**_Lacrymosa"_**-Evanescence

"_**Out on your own**_

_**Cold and alone again**_

_**Can this be what you really wanted baby?"**_

Stella heard the door to her room open but didn't bother looking up to see who it was; she knew who it would be. She had been here for weeks and the only person who ever came to her room was Tom. She knew there were others, but she never saw them. Tom came every day to talk to her. Well, more like interrogate her. He wanted to know everything that had gone on with Ben while he was in the hatch. He wanted to know her thoughts, how she had felt after Ben raped her, why she thought the baby was a boy, why she had really left with Ben. Stella told him everything he wanted to know, whether she really knew the answer or not. If she didn't know she just made something up. She was so tired of acting covert and keeping all of the lies together.

Four weeks ago she and Ben had fled the Hatch. Not long after Stella had shot Sayid, nearly killing him, Tom had found them. He had led them to a small ferry where a boat was waiting. Stella was so exhausted that the moment she sat down on the boat next to Ben she fell asleep. She had woken up in the room. The room was painted white and all of the furniture was white as well. There was not a single thing in the room that wasn't white, even Stella clothes were white. Stella wasn't sure what was happening.

"_**Now that you're gone**_

_**Feel like myself again.**_

**_Grieving the things I can't repair."_**

Four weeks and she hadn't seen Ben even once. She didn't understand why he wouldn't want to see her. She was beginning to second guess everything that had transpired between them in the Hatch. Could he have been playing her this whole time just so he could have an escape plan to fall back on? Was any of it real, or was it another one of his elaborate schemes?

Stella stared at the wall across from her bed and waited for Tom to say whatever he had come to say.

"Stella" she heard from a low voice by the door. She knew that voice and she knew it wasn't Tom.

Stella looked at the door and into eyes that has been burned into her memory. Those eyes that she had first hated for what he had done to her in the armory. The eyes she now hoped their child would have. The eyes she had fallen in love with.

"Where have you been?" Stella asked not rising from the bed.

"I apologize for not being able to come sooner. I had to take care of some things that had gone astray while I was gone."

"You apologize? Ben, why am I being treated as a prisoner? You told me if I came with you I would be taken care of; that the baby would be taken care of."

"Stella, it's complicated." Ben said never raising his voice to match hers. Stella laughed; he always knew how to play the subservient.

"So what Ben, did you lie? Was everything you said to me false to get me to go along with your plan? Are you a liar Ben?" Stella was up now moving closer to Ben. She wanted to hit him, hit him as hard as she could. But she couldn't, she was still very in love with him. And despite the way she was being treated she didn't want to cause him harm. So she waited for his response.

"_**I can't change who I am**_

_**Not this time**_

_**I won't lie to keep you near me**_

_**And in this short life**_

_**There's no time to waste on giving up**_

_**My love wasn't enough."**_

His silence was her undoing. The plain fact that he wouldn't answer her was answer enough. She had been such a fool.

"So everything was a lie." Stella said as the full realization came to her. "How could you Ben, how could you?" Ben reached out to grab her hand but she walked away from him.

"Oh God, what have I done? What am I supposed to do?" She knew she was talking to herself now but she didn't care. "I betrayed them all for you; I almost killed Sayid because of you! I'm pregnant Ben! What am I supposed to do with a baby on the island? Oh no, you're going to take my baby aren't you? Are you going to cut it out of me like you were going to do to Claire? You weren't able to have her baby so you are going to take mine? Then what, you just let me die because I have served my purpose? You made me love you Ben! Oh God." Stella slid down to the floor unwilling to think anymore about the situation. She was crying now and felt more lost then she ever had while on the island.

"_**Blame it on me**_

_**Set your guilt free**_

_**Nothing can hold you back now."**_

"It wasn't all a lie Stella." She heard Ben say from across the room.

Stella looked up at him through her tears. "Ben?"

Ben walked to her and sat next to her on the floor. He took her into his arms and placed a firm kiss on her forehead.

"Stella, I want you to listen to me very carefully. Everything that happened between us in the Hatch was real. Everything. Do you understand that?" Ben asked looking into her eyes.

Stella nodded.

"No matter what happens I want you to remember that. I love you Stella and I promise you, soon we will be together."

"Are you sure?" Stella asked.

"As sure as I have ever been about anything." He said smiling at her.

"Ben?"

"Yes, love."

"Thank you." Stella said pressing her lips to his.

"For what?" he asked.

"Coming back to me."


	6. The Cards

Disclaimer: I make no profit from this. Ben and all of the other Lost characters, and all of Evanescence's lyrics do not belong to me. Stella, however, is mine.

While listening to Evanescence's CD The Open Door, I realized how perfect it went with the story, so I decided to incorporate it! Each chapter goes with a song on the CD. All lyrics will be italicized.

AU: I have had to change up the timeline a bit to make everything fit. Hope it makes sense!

The Cards

"**_Lose Control"_**-Evanescence

"_**Just once in my life**_

**_I think it'd be nice_**

_**To lose control just once."**_

Stella walked into Ben's office without knocking. She threw a stack of cue cards on his desk interrupting whatever he was working on.

"Tell me you know about this." was all she said.

Ben looked over the cards, reading every one. Then he looked up at her over his glasses.

"Where did you find these?" he asked a look of surprise in his eyes.

Stella didn't like the look. Ben always knew what was going on, he was rarely surprised.

"In her house." Was her answer to his question.

She didn't need to specify whose house she was talking about. She and Ben had been in a disagreement about Juliet's true allegiance for weeks. Ben thought Stella was just imagining things. Stella knew better.

"Tell me you know about this" Stella repeated. "If you don't, you know what I have to do."

Ben sat back in his chair and removed his glasses.

They had been married for two months now. The day that Ben had come to Stella in her white cell she had left it. They had been married the next morning on the beach. As it turned out, Tom had been asking her all of those questions to make sure she was really devoted to Ben and not someone planted by Jack and John. Stella was eight months pregnant and barely able to get around. Not long after she had been put into the white room Jack, Kate, and Sawyer were captured and brought to the Hydra. Ben had told her this when she had happened to walk into his viewing room without knocking. She had seen all of the monitors and had recognized Jack on one of them. Ben claimed they were there to serve a purpose but wouldn't tell her anymore. Stella did her best to avoid the places where they were being held. She knew that no good would come of them meeting again.

Tom still came to visit her everyday. Stella didn't know why but she enjoyed his company. They talked a lot about Ben. Ben and Tom had been friends for a long time and Stella loved listening to stories about Ben when he was young. From time to time Tom would ask her about martial arts and fighting. He asked if she thought she might really want to learn them one day. Stella would always say yes, she thought learning something now might occupy some of her time. It seemed like everyone at the Hydra had a job to do except for Stella. She told Ben she wanted to help but he always told her that she was pregnant and needed to relax.

"_**Mary had a lamb**_

_**His eyes black as coal**_

_**If we play very quiet my lamb**_

_**Mary never has to know."**_

It was while she had been "relaxing" that she had begun to suspect Juliet might be up to something. Though she got along with everyone else; from the very beginning she had never been fond of Juliet. It was obvious there had been something between her and Ben in the past and Stella didn't like that one bit. Though Ben seemed fine with whatever had happened Juliet didn't. She had been sitting down in the monitoring room reading a book when she happened to look up and see Juliet enter Jack's cell. She put a video tape into the VCR but then she didn't leave right away. She stood there talking to him, and Jack didn't look very happy. After only a few minutes she took the tape out and left the room. Stella didn't know why but for some reason the whole exchange really bothered her. So she had gone snooping. One morning while Juliet was at the quarry with Pickett she went into her house and poked around a little bit. She was about to leave when she happened to look behind Juliet's bookcase and found a stack of cue cards.

Stella read what was written on them.

"Ben is a liar."

"Operation."

"Accident."

As the words jumped out at her Stella's blood began to rush. Her mind began to flash back to her daily talks with Tom. As she remembered the things they had talked about she realized that it hadn't just been friendly conversation. He had been covertly giving her scenarios. What would you do if this happened to Ben? How would you handle this? She knew that her mind had been trained. The cards and the maker of the cards showed a threat to her husband and everything in her wanted to destroy that threat. Why would Tom secretly brainwash her like that? Was that why he asked all those questions about learning how to fight? Was that the next step? Stella shook her head. Tom never did anything without Ben's consent. This was Ben's idea. He knew that Stella would do anything in her power to protect him, even kill.

"_**If I cut you down to a thing I can use**_

_**I fear there will be nothing good left of you."**_

Stella had barely been able to control herself once she came to her conclusion. It took all of her will power not to run to the quarry and kill Juliet on the spot. She didn't want to act too rashly and do something she might regret.

So she had gone to Ben before she had done anything else.

"Ben, answer me."

"Patience Stella was never one of your virtues." He said with a hint of humor.

"I don't think you married me for my patience, Ben." Stella was finding it increasingly hard to fight her instincts. Ben had made her this way and now he was holding her back from her purpose.

"Ben, I need to do something about this. You know I can't ignore it."

"I find it endearing that you strive to protect me darling. Give me two weeks to get the information I need. Then I will give your answer."

"Two weeks Ben, not a second more. If she is trying to kill you, I will kill her first."

"I wouldn't dream of standing in your way, love."

"And Ben?" Stella asked quietly.

"Yes Stella?" he said putting his glasses back on.

"When were you going to tell me about the operation?"


	7. The Rebirth

Disclaimer: I make no profit from this. Ben and all of the other Lost characters, and all of Evanescence's lyrics do not belong to me. Stella, however, is mine.

While listening to Evanescence's CD The Open Door, I realized how perfect it went with the story, so I decided to incorporate it! Each chapter goes with a song on the CD. All lyrics will be italicized.

AU: I have had to change up the timeline a bit to make everything fit. Hope it makes sense!

The Rebirth

"**_Weight of the World"_**-Evanescence

"_**If you love me**_

_**Then let go of me**_

_**I won't be held down by who I used to be**_

_**She's nothing to me."**_

Stella hit the punching bag harder. As she used to tell her students, she was not a happy camper. In fact, she was down right livid. Tom yelled out instructions as she danced around the punching bag, she ignored him and wished she had something or someone real to hit.

Ben had refused to talk to her about the operation when she questioned him. She had just found a conspiracy to murder him and he wouldn't give her the information she wanted. He was her husband, and he was keeping something this big from her.

Stella knew whatever he had was bad; life threatening. She guessed that an operation was the only thing that could save him.

She had found the cue cards in Juliet's house four weeks ago. She had intended to hold to her word and take care of Juliet once Ben gave her the okay but something more important had come up.

Stella had gone into labor.

"_**Feels like the weight of the world**_

_**Like God in heaven gave me a turn**_

_**Don't cling to me I swear I can't fix you**_

_**Still in the dark can you fix me?"**_

It came suddenly. She was taking a walk with Tom when her water broke. There had been no other signs that today was the day. Tom was on the radio talking to Ben when her first contraction hit her. She screamed so loud that she was sure everyone on the island had heard her. She had no idea what to expect from labor but it sure wasn't that.

In the end Tom carried her to the clinic where she was met with a flushed Ben. It was apparent he had been running from somewhere to get to her.

Stella was lying on the table when Ben came up and grabbed her hand.

"Stella." He said running his free hand over her forehead smoothing back her hair.

"Hello, love." She answered blissfully in between contractions.

Then Stella saw Juliet standing by her feet. She hadn't even noticed her come into the room.

"Ben, she's ready."

Ben looked at Juliet and nodded his head.

"Darling," he said looking back down to her. "I need you let go of my hand. I'm going to have to move down here for a little while. Okay?" Stella was vaguely aware he was talking to her like she was a child. Something he hated for her to do to him. But she didn't really care at the moment. She didn't want him leaving her side.

"Wait, why? Where are you going?" she asked frantically.

Stella didn't receive an answer because Ben had already gone into the small prep room that held a sink. Stella looked around her and saw only Tom standing at the head of the bed she was on. There were a few people in the observation room Pickett and Juliet among them, but the rest of the operating room was empty.

Ben came back into the room in fresh scrubs and gloves. He looked at her and smiled.

"Ben? Who is delivering this baby?" she asked already knowing the answer.

"I am Stella, who else?"

Stella didn't remember much else besides a lot of pain and a lot of pushing. It was worth it though. One hour later her darling Ben brought their baby to her side.

"Stella, I want you to meet our son." Ben said smiling proudly.

Stella tore her eyes from the baby to look at Ben. "Our son?" she asked slyly.

"Yes," Ben chuckled "our son." He finished as he lowered their child into Stella's arms.

She looked at the tiny creature looking up at her with his father's clear blue eyes and her dark blonde hair and thought he was perfect.

"Ben, he's beautiful."

Ben bent down to kiss her, "Thank you Stella." He said softly.

"For what Ben?"

"For our child. Our son." He stressed laughing.

Stella laughed with him. It seemed she had been right about the sex of their baby and Ben was handling it well.

"Wow, we have a son. It's hard to believe; just nine months ago we were basically enemies."

"Stella, I could never consider you my enemy. You mean too much to me."

"Really Ben?" Stella asked while her son tried to grab at her finger.

"Always." He said kissing first her forehead then the baby's.

"Now, what to name him?" he asked.

"Eamon, Eamon Sinclair." Stella said without even needing to think about it.

"I love it. It fits him perfectly. Doesn't it little Eamon?" Ben cooed to his son.

Stella was happy, incredibly happy. She should have known that it wouldn't last.

A week after she gave birth she was cleared to begin her training with Tom. Stella was more than ready. She had been sitting around for months and now she felt like she could be some use.

So she set into a routine.

Every morning she would wake up next to Ben. She'd get ready herself then get Eamon ready. By then Ben was up and they would spend an hour together. Then Eamon would go to Bea who watched the children during the day.

It was while Bea was caring for Eamon that Stella trained.

Tom would take her out into a clearing that was obviously set up for multiple kinds of combat training. He drilled her for hours on the basics, and when she proved to be a fast learner her began to teach her the real stuff. Stella worked hard, her concentration never wavering. She knew what she was learning was to help her protect her husband and she meant to do just that.

At the end of the day Stella would go home to Ben who had already picked Eamon up from Bea's and she would spend the evening with them. She settled quite comfortably into the routine. It was nice to be able to spend so much time with Ben and their son, but still feel like she was accomplishing something.

She could have relaxed into the situation except for one thing that still hung over her happy family.

Her husband was dying and she didn't know how much time he had left. It didn't help the sneaky bastard wouldn't tell her anything about it.

"Stella!" Tom yelled.

Stella's reminiscing was cut short.

"What?" she asked.

"I think you're ready." He said smiling.

"Ready for what?" she had only been training for two months, what could she possibly be ready for.

"You're ready to be tested."

"_**Feels like the weight of the world**_

_**Like all my screaming has gone unheard**_

_**And oh I know you don't believe in me**_

_**Safe in the dark how can you see?"**_

Stella was in yet another situation she didn't like. She was standing in the middle of the practice clearing and everyone, yes; everyone else in their community was making a wide circle around her. They were spectators, but she wasn't sure for what.

Tom had said she was ready to be tested. She assumed she meant tested by him in some kind of true combat.

Suddenly the crowd parted and Ben walked into the circle and stood across from her.

"Ben?"

"Hello darling. Tom tells me you are doing extremely well in your training." Ben always talked to her like no one else was around.

"Yes, he said I was ready to be tested. Do you know who is testing me?"

"I do know." Was all he said.

"Good, who?"

"Me."

"Bullshit." Stella said quite audibly.

"Such language from a teacher." Ben teased. He was purposely toying with her now.

Stella's thoughts ran around in her head none really catching. She was supposed to fight her husband? She thought the reason she was learning how to fight was to protect him. He needed protecting, didn't he?

"_**Free fall**_

_**Free fall**_

_**All through life."**_

Then Tom came rambling into the circle.

"Okay, the first one who goes down forfeits. Stella if you get Ben down; your training is complete. If Ben gets you down you continue. Ready? Ok, have at each other. This should be good," he said walking out of the circle.

Stella now knew why there were so many people here to watch. Who wouldn't want to see a man and wife fight each other? Not to mention that the man was Ben.

"Ben, I'm not going to fight you. I can't."

"You can Stella. And you will."

"No, I can't. That goes against everything I have been working towards for months. It goes against my nature even."

Ben's expression didn't change.

"Stella, I order you to fight me."

"What? You order me? Since when did you become my master?"

"When I raped you and made you fall in love with me."

Rape. Stella really did not like that word. Ben knew it made her furious, and he was using it now.

She didn't even realize she was being manipulated until she took a swing at him, and then another.

Since her vision was clouded with anger he easily blocked her. Stella stopped and took and few deep breathes.

"So, it's going to be like that? Okay, let's do this."

She saw Ben's smirk fade just a fraction when he saw the malice in her eyes.

Stella charged her husband and knocked him to the ground. He immediately flipped over and pushed her down. Stella swung her legs up and freed herself but not before Ben backhanded her across the face. Stella got close enough to Ben to kick him in the knee and then in the stomach.

The crowd around them had begun to cheer. Ben literally ran at her and pinned her to a tree. He wrapped his hand around her throat and banged her against the tree some more. Then he threw her to the ground.

As Stella got to her feet she wondered how the hell Ben got so strong. He always looked so fragile. No wonder he had been able to over power her in the armory. The crowd yelled more as Stella turned to face Ben.

"Oh, it's on." She said spitting out blood.

"Were we not fighting already darling?" Ben asked calmly.

Stella smiled. This was going to be fun.

For the next thirty minutes Stella and Ben kicked and punched and threw each other around the circle. The crowd couldn't get enough of them quite literally beating the crap out of each other. Stella loved in too, she had to admit. She had never known Ben was so strong, so ruthless. She hated to admit it, but it was a huge turn on.

Finally after the both still stood bloody but still very importantly standing Tom called a draw.

"Congratulations Stella. You passed." Ben said walking up to her and wrapping his arms around her.

Stella cringed; she hurt everywhere. "It's okay Ben, you can be upset that I beat you. I won't tell anyone.

Ben laughed. "Come on, I see a hot bath with our name all over it."


	8. The Clearing

Disclaimer: I make no profit from this. Ben and all of the other Lost characters, and all of Evanescence's lyrics do not belong to me. Stella, however, is mine.

While listening to Evanescence's CD The Open Door, I realized how perfect it went with the story, so I decided to incorporate it! Each chapter goes with a song on the CD. All lyrics will be italicized.

AU: I have had to change up the timeline a bit to make everything fit. Hope it makes sense!

The Clearing

"**_Cloud Nine"_** –Evanescence

"_**If you want to live, let live.**_

_**If you want to go, let go.**_

**_I'm not afraid to dream, to sleep, sleep forever."_**

"Sayid, please don't make me do this."

"I'm not making you do anything Stella. This is your choice that you have made and now you have to live with it."

Stella was not happy with the situation. She had been walking with Ben and some of the others when they had crossed paths with Sayid. Apparently he had been scouting the island and had crossed the "line" Tom had warned Jack about. At the moment Stella was standing in front of Ben, shielding him because Sayid was pointing a gun at them. It had been only a few weeks since Ben and Stella had fought each other. Their cuts were finally healed and here they were seemingly about to earn some more.

"Sayid, you can't get out of this. You are surrounded." Stella said glancing around the clearing they were in. In response to her mentioning them her companions gave a small shake of the foliage around them letting Sayid know she wasn't lying.

"I am a trained soldier Stella. You won't frighten me with meager scare tactics."

"Put your gun down Sayid. It's not like we are being unreasonable. You did cross the line." Stella said keeping her eyes on the gun in his steady hands. Stella's instincts were screaming. There was a threat to Ben and everything in her told her annihilate it. But if she charged Sayid now Ben might get hurt and that was something she wasn't willing to let happen.

"The line? You mean the ridiculous imaginary line Jack talked about?"

Stella watched Sayid closely. Despite being surrounded he was staying remarkably calm. She would need to do something quickly if she was going to diffuse the situation.

"That ridiculous line, as you call it, is there for a reason. It's there so no one else gets hurt unnecessarily. We don't want anyone else to die."

"_**Guess it wasn't real after all.**_

_**Guess it wasn't real all along."**_

"We? So you are one of them now. What happened to "Live together, die alone"? Did you forget all about that? Or are you just going to shoot us all now?" She could tell Sayid was becoming agitated talking about her defection.

"I had my reasons for leaving and for shooting you Sayid. I know it's hard to understand but I did have reasons. If it helps, I'm glad you didn't die."

"You mean you are glad you didn't kill me, so you won't be called a murderer. And all this for what Stella?" Sayid looked past her to Ben, "For him? He is the reason for your betrayal?

"Yes, he is one of them. The other would be our son. I had no choice Sayid. The beach and forest was no place to raise a child."

"So you did birth your child, and they let you keep it? I was half hoping they would take it away like they planned with Claire."

"I'm sorry to disappoint you Sayid, but I have a son with my husband, Ben, yes." Stella could almost feel Ben smirking triumphantly behind her.

"Your husband? You are truly one of them now. I know what I must do." Sayid said quietly.

"No Sayid, I am going to tell you what you are going to do. Ben is going to walk up the path to stand with Tom. You are going to let him go. You will not shoot at him. Then once he is out of range you and I are going to handle this between ourselves. Okay?"

Sayid said nothing but nodded once.

She didn't turn around. "Ben, go please."

She felt Ben's warm hand on her shoulder for a second before he walked away.

"Tom?" Stella asked after one minute had passed.

"All clear Stel. Do what you need to." He answered from the cover of the trees.

Stella faced Sayid who looked calmer now that Ben was out of sight.

"Are you ready Sayid?" she asked taking off her pack and placing it on the ground.

Before he had a chance to answer Stella lunged and kicked the gun out of his hands. She'd caught him off guard and while he was cradling his hand she walked to where the gun had fallen and picked it up. Within seconds she had taken it apart. She threw the useless pieces into the forest where she knew one of the others would pick them up.

Sayid glared at Stella from across the clearing.

"You didn't expect that did you Sayid?"

Sayid said nothing as he pulled his hair back and tied it. After a long silence he spoke.

"Do not make the mistake in thinking that because you have a child, I will hold back Stella."

"Oh are you finally ready to fight me now?" Stella walked back to where she had been standing earlier. Sayid would have to kill her before she let him past her to Ben.

Stella tightened her stance ready to use all of the training Tom had put her through.

"Ok, let's go." She said waving him forward.

"What happened to the quiet teacher who crashed onto the island with the rest of us?" Sayid asked more to himself than to her.

Stella smiled, "She's about to take you to school."

"_**If I fall and all is lost.**_

_**No light to lead the way.**_

_**Remember that all alone is where I belong."**_

The fight couldn't have lasted more than ten minutes. Sayid was good, very good, but he hadn't been training everyday for the last few months. The two had crashed around the clearing, quite clearly trying to kill each other. Sayid poured every emotion he had into his fight and that is why he lost. Stella, though feeling very strongly her need to protect her husband, hadn't let any other emotions get in her way. In fact, she even seemed to having fun, smiling and laughing, which seemed to confuse Sayid.

In the end Sayid lay in a heap in the middle of the clearing. He was bloody and alive, but barely.

Stella stood over him breathing heavily.

"Ben?" she called out wanting his decision. He would be the one to decide Sayid's fate.

"Let him live darling." She heard him answer from the trees. "He will carry the message back."

"What message love?" Stella asked.

"That this is what happens if they cross the line."


	9. The Operation

Disclaimer: I make no profit from this. Ben and all of the other Lost characters, and all of Evanescence's lyrics do not belong to me. Stella, however, is mine.

While listening to Evanescence's CD The Open Door, I realized how perfect it went with the story, so I decided to incorporate it! Each chapter goes with a song on the CD. All lyrics will be italicized.

AU: I have had to change up the timeline a bit to make everything fit. Hope it makes sense!

The Operation

"**_Like You"_** – Evanescence

"_**Stay low**_

_**Soft, dark and dreamless**_

_**Far beneath my nightmares and loneliness" **_

Stella peeked around the hall to make sure no one was coming. Then she pulled open the door. She stepped in and shut it behind her as quietly as she could. The room was dark but she was still able to see someone behind the glass.

"Jack?" she asked keeping her voice low.

Jack sat up from where he had been lying on the table.

"Juliet?" he said looking into the shadows of the next room.

Stella thought that was quite curious but put it out of her mind. That wasn't what she came here for.

"No Jack, its Stella." Stella felt along the control board and found the switch for the lights. Jack squinted as she turned them on.

When Stella saw Jack's face she knew her task wasn't going to be easy.

"What do you want?" he said his voice dripping with venom.

"I need to talk to you Jack. Please?" Stella asked going up to the glass.

"What could you possibly have to say? You don't need me for anything, your boyfriend Ben takes care of everything now."

"My husband, Jack, Ben is my husband. That is why I am here."

"So he put you up to this? I didn't change my mind when they brought Kate in here so he thinks that you will work? You can tell him he is wasting his time. I am not doing the operation." Jack was close to the glass now.

"He wants you to do the operation?" Stella asked surprised.

"Did he not tell you?"

"No, he didn't. He won't tell me anything about the operation. No one will."

"Well that sounds like a problem there. One you are going to have to figure out for yourself."

"Jack, please. Tell me what is wrong with Ben. What does he need this operation for?"

"Why do you care Stella? It's not like any of this is real. Nothing you think your feeling is real. This is all their plan. To make you think you feel so strongly for him. Juliet told me what they did to do. What Ben has turned you into."

Stella didn't like where this was going, especially if Juliet was involved. "What do you mean Jack"

"They brainwashed you Stella. From the moment you set foot inside that armory with Ben. The first day he started in on you. Playing to your weaknesses, leading you to think that he was innocent. Then he raped you. And he didn't do it because he was lonely or because he lost control. No, he did it because he knew that was what it would take to break you. That if he did that you would be under his control. It was just a bonus that you got pregnant. One more tool Ben can use against you. What I still can't understand is why you went back to him. No matter how much you believed he was a good person he still raped you. Raped you Stella; and you went back to him. You must be very weak."

Stella stared at Jack. How could know everything that had happened to her? Was Juliet really telling him everything? That would have to mean that Ben had told her what had happened between them in the armory.

"I am not weak." Stella said quietly but firmly. "I did what I had to do. I didn't have a choice."

"There is always a choice Stella. Always. Why couldn't you have acted normally and shot the bastard? No one would have blamed you."

"No, I couldn't have done that."

"Of course you could have. You don't think you have it in you to kill someone? What about Sayid? You shot him Stella and came very close to killing him. He almost bled to death because of you. And from what I heard you came pretty close to beating him to death as well. And you think you couldn't kill someone?"

"I didn't almost kill Sayid. I spared him. I could have easily shot him in the head but I didn't. And the last time Sayid brought that upon himself. No Jack, I didn't mean I couldn't kill a person. I meant I couldn't kill Ben."

"And why is that Stella. Has he gotten inside your head so much that he has programmed you not to kill him? I thought you would be able to fight it more, but he has completely taken control of you hasn't he?"

Stella had reached the end of her fuse.

"_**I hate me**_

_**For breathing without you**_

_**I don't want to feel anymore for you."**_

"I can't because I love him!" she yelled at Jack. He took a shocked step back from the glass. "I love him Jack. I love him so much that he could do anything, anything to me and I would still love him. And because of that love I am unable to harm him. You see; you and Juliet have it wrong. They never had to brainwash me to love Ben, or to protect him. I fell in love with him the first time he talked to me in that hatch. After being tortured and interrogated for hours by you all he still spoke to me. He didn't lump me in with you all as an enemy. He saw me for me. I don't care if he has killed a thousand people or if he tries to cut my throat in the morning. I will still love him and will still do everything in my power to ensure that he doesn't come to harm. They didn't make me love him Jack; they just showed me how to protect him."

Jack shook his head. Stella saw that he was finally starting to understand how she saw things. "So good ole' Ben has is very own bodyguard."

"That's right. And right now there is something harming him that I can't protect him from. I need to know what it is Jack, please tell me."

"I'm sure there is a reason he doesn't want you to know."

"I don't care Jack."

"Aren't you afraid he will be angry if he finds out you know?"

"I'm not his slave Jack, I am his wife. He should have told me months ago. I'm not afraid of him." Stella put her hands on the glass. "Please."

"Okay Stella, okay. But you won't be able to do anything about it."

Stella nodded.

"Ben has a tumor on his spine. It's malignant and it's fatal."

Stella's heart stopped. Of all the horrible things she had imagined, this hadn't been one of them. She felt tears come to her eyes.

"So he could die." She said looking at the ground.

"No, he will die. Within the month, probably sooner."

Stella looked up and met Jack's eyes. She knew why Ben was going to die.

"You said no."

"What?" he asked.

"You are a spinal surgeon. You could fix this. He asked you to and you said no."

Jack only nodded.

The tears began to roll down Stella's face. She didn't bother to wipe them away.

"My husband is going to die." She said mostly to herself. She slid down to the floor buried her head in her hands and let the tears continue to fall.

"Stella" Jack said but she ignored him. She didn't care anymore. She didn't care that she was crying in front of Jack. She didn't care if anyone found her in here. Nothing mattered anymore.

"_**Grieving for you, I'm not grieving for you.**_

_**Nothing real love can't undo**_

_**And though I may have lost my way**_

_**All paths lead straight to you."**_

Stella sat there crying for what must have been hours. Jack had stopped trying to talk to her. The only thought that she had replayed over and over in her mind, 'Ben is going to die.' Stella rocked back and forth whispering those words to herself.

That was how Ben found her. Rocking quietly in the room across from Jack's cell. He bent down to help her up and met Jack's eyes across the room. Jack only shook his head and looked away.

Ben took her to their room.

"Stella, darling what is wrong. Why were you in there with Jack?" he asked while wrapping a blanket around her shoulders.

"_**I long to be like you**_

_**Lie cold in the ground like you."**_

Stella looked at him. He looked worried for her. "He told me Ben."

Ben didn't have to ask what Jack had told her. "Love, I couldn't tell you."

"Why Ben? Why couldn't you tell me? You don't think your wife should know that you are about to die? Everyone else can know but not me? Damnit Ben I have done everything you ever asked me to do. Given up everything for you. But you couldn't trust me with this?"

Ben took her into his arms. "No Stella, I trust you with my life. I couldn't tell you because I couldn't bear to see that look in your eyes. The one you have now. I wanted you to be happy and look at me with love instead of worry. I didn't want to put that burden on you. I love you too much to see you suffer."

"So you suffer alone? You know that is not what I want. You can't die Ben, you can't."

Ben started to say something but was interrupted when Juliet burst in through the door. Stella got up ready to seriously hurt her.

"Ben, you have to come now."

"I'm busy Juliet."

"It's Jack. He wants to talk to you."

Ben looked at Stella; she nodded her head for him to go. Ben left the room and Juliet turned to follow him, but Stella caught her arm.

"I know what you are up to. I found your cards. You hurt my husband and I will kill you." She whispered into her ear.

Juliet's eyes showed her apprehension. "I would never do anything to harm Ben, you know that Stella."

Stella let go of her arm, "You are a horrible liar Juliet. Now get out of my room and don't you ever come in without knocking again."

"_**Halo**_

_**Blinding wall between us.**_

_**Melt away and leave us alone again**_

_**Humming, haunted somewhere out there**_

_**I believe our love can see us through in death."**_

Ben was gone for two hours and in those two hours Stella found herself doing anything she could to keep her mind off of her husband's fate. She took a shower, tried to read a book, and finally ended up pacing the room. After pacing for a full hour she threw herself onto the bed and tried to fall asleep.

She had almost succeeded when she heard the door open. She felt Ben climb onto the bed. He pulled her hair back and placed a warm kiss on her neck.

"Are you awake darling?"

"Enough." She answered turning to face him. Ben was smiling. He was actually smiling.

"What did Jack want?"

"He is going to do the operation. I don't know what you said to change his mind, but it worked. Thank you Stella."

"Are you serious?" Stella asked. She could feel her eyes welling up again. "He is really going to do it.?"

"Yes, we were working everything out. That is why I took so long."

"When?"

"Tomorrow morning. He doesn't want to waste any time."

"Ben this is wonderful. I don't know what I would have done without you." Stella said hugging him tightly.

"Don't worry about that now Stella." He said brushing his fingertips along her lips. "Don't worry about anything."

Stella kissed her husband. He was going to live.

"I love you Stella." Ben said to her as he lay down next to her.

"Always Ben, always."

That night Stella and Ben made love. It wasn't hurried, it wasn't forced, it wasn't anything but two people in love with renewed hope that they had more time.

"_**I long to be like you**_

_**Lie cold in the ground like you**_

_**There's room inside for two **_

_**And I'm not grieving for you**_

_**I'm coming for you."**_

Stella woke up around two o'clock in the morning to a strange sound. It sounded like someone crying. She knew it couldn't be Eamon because he had stayed with Bea for the night. She sat up and looked for Ben next to her. He wasn't there. She looked around the room and found him sitting in the large chair across the room. He had his head in his hands and he was crying.

Stella had never seen Ben cry before. He was always in control of his emotions, of everything, and to see him like this, she knew he really must be worried about the morning.

Stella got out of bed and walked to her husband's side. When she got to the chair she knelt in front of him and placed her hand on his knee.

"Ben?"

Ben raised his head.

"Stella." He said as he began wiping his tears away.

Stella stopped his hands and took them in her own. "Don't Ben; you don't have to be strong because of me. It's okay to be scared."

"What if it doesn't work Stella? What if I die on the operating table? I can't leave you and Eamon alone. I don't want to die."

"I know love; no one wants you to die. All we can do is trust Jack's abilities. I believe that he can save you. We have to ignore all of those other worries and pray this operation works."

"Beside, what would we all do without you Ben?" she said trying to cheer him up.

Ben's expression, if possible, became more serious. "Stella, if something does happen to me."

"No Ben. We aren't going to talk like that. You are not going to die. You are going to be fine."

"Nevertheless, if something does happen, if I am unable to lead." Ben stopped and made her look him in the eyes. "You Stella are in charge. You are the new leader."

Stella couldn't speak for a moment.

"Are you insane? You can't put me in charge; they aren't going to listen to me. Why not Tom?"

"Tom is a follower. As they all are. They need a leader and the only choice is you. It makes sense, you are my wife. You will lead them if something happens to me. Tom will be your second just as he is with me."

"Ben, I don't think." But he cut her off.

"This is not open for discussion darling. It's already done."

"Already? Why is it already done?"

"I wanted everything in place before the morning. I wanted everything and everyone prepared."

"What if they don't follow me Ben? What if they refuse?"

"Then you know what you will have to do. You know my role Stella. You won't fail."

Stella took a deep breath. "Alright Ben, but everything goes back to you after the operation. This is temporary."

Ben nodded, "Very well."

"Will you come back to bed?" Stella asked standing up.

"Yes, let's go."

The next morning Stella woke up expecting Ben by her side. Instead she found his side of the bed cold.

There was a note on the night stand asking her to check on Eamon as soon as possible. The note was not in Ben's handwriting.

As Ben lay on the operating table watching everyone prepare he wondered where Stella was. This wasn't something she would miss; she would be by his side.

"Juliet is Stella here yet?" he asked.

"No, she isn't." she answered neutrally.

"Has she called?"

"No Ben, I'm sorry."

Ben nodded, where could she be?

Stella closed the door to Bea's behind her as she left. She had just gotten through checking on Eamon. He had been fine. Bea told her that the operation was supposed to start soon and said she would continue to watch Eamon so she could be with Ben.

Stella wondered what the note had been for and who had written it.

She made her way to the clinic in silence. She hoped she would get there before the operation began.

Stella was almost to the clinic when she heard her walkie talkie blare with static. She ignored it, intent on getting to her husband.

"_**You're not alone**_

_**No matter what they told you you're not alone.**_

_**I'll be right beside you forevermore."**_

The static continued to buzz and Stella could hear voices in it but couldn't make out what they were saying. Stella reached the door to the observation room and pulled it open. When she turned to face the glass her heart stopped. She saw Ben lying face down on the operating table. She saw someone lying on the floor. Juliet was eyeing Jack and Tom was staring at Ben looking lost. Jack was then only one actually doing something; yelling into a walkie talkie. Stella took all of this in before she heard the beeping. She found its source, one of the machines hooked up to Ben monitoring his heart rate. It was erratic, not normal. It took Stella only a second to put all the pieces together. Jack had done something, something none of them had expected. And now Ben was lying on that table dying.

There was no reason to Stella's actions as she began screaming and pounding on the window between the two rooms. She yelled Ben's name over and over until she couldn't understand the word anymore. Juliet and Tom kept their eyes on Stella waiting to see what she would do, but she had no plan. How could she fix this? She couldn't just run in there and kill Jack for what he had done. Then there would be no one to help Ben. Stella sank into the nearest chair. They had thought everything would be okay, they trusted Jack, and he had betrayed them. What could she do?

"_**I long to be like you sis**_

_**Lie cold in the ground like you did**_

_**There's room inside for two**_

_**And I'm not grieving for you**_

_**And as we lay in silent bliss**_

_**I know you remember me"**_

Stella heard the static again. A few seconds passed and then she realized she could now understand what the voices were saying. She heard Jack and Kate yelling at each other desperately. After hearing them she realized what Jack was doing. Stella held her walkie talkie closer to her ear so she could hear. There was only one way that Kate could have a walkie, which must mean that Pickett was out there with them. God knows, what he had planned for Kate and Sawyer.

Jack wanted to give Kate and Sawyer and chance to escape. He had an hour until he had to stitch Ben up. That meant that Ben could live. He could make it out of this alive. But right now there was someone standing in the way of Jack's plan; Pickett.

Ben had said Stella would know what to do when it came her time to lead. Ben was right; Stella knew what she had to do.

Stella went back to the window and looked at Ben. She kissed her fingertips before placing them against the glass. What she needed to do wouldn't take long. She would be back soon.

Stella threw her walkie talkie to the floor. She reached into her waistband and made sure that her gun was still there. Stella threw open the door to the observation room and walked outside into the rain. She was going to get Pickett.

"_**I'm coming for you."**_


	10. The Traitor

Disclaimer: I make no profit from this. Ben and all of the other Lost characters, and all of Evanescence's lyrics do not belong to me. Stella, however, is mine.

While listening to Evanescence's CD The Open Door, I realized how perfect it went with the story, so I decided to incorporate it! Each chapter goes with a song on the CD. All lyrics will be italicized.

AU: I have had to change up the timeline a bit to make everything fit. Hope it makes sense!

The Traitor

"**_Your Star"_**- Evanescence

"_**And I'm alone now**_

_**Me and all I stood for**_

_**We're wandering now**_

_**All in parts and pieces swim lonely**_

_**Find your own way out."**_

Stella stalked through the rain on her way to the cages. Every thought left her mind except for Pickett. She new he would be trouble after Cole died. She'd hoped he might simply mourn his wife, instead of trying to find someone to blame. Stella understood what he was going through, what he was feeling. But that didn't matter anymore. Pickett was putting her husband's life in jeopardy and she was going to stop him.

When Stella reached to cages she stopped. Though the rain was falling heavily she could still make them out. Sawyer was on his knees and Pickett was behind him holding a gun to his head. Kate was inside Sawyer's cage being held at gunpoint by Pete, one of Pickett's lackeys. Kate still held the walkie talkie in her hand. She was pleading with Jack, saying that she wouldn't leave without him. Stella saw Pickett readjust his grip on his gun. He wasn't going to wait any longer.

Stella ran. She came at Pickett from behind and tore the gun out of his hands. She threw his gun to the ground and blocked his fist from hitting her face. She knew Pickett's strengths and hand to hand combat was not one of them. Sure he could shoot and gun or use his taser, but when it came to truly fighting; he was nothing compared to Stella. Stella hit him hard in his gut and again against his jaw. He went down hard, but he wasn't out yet. Stella was about to pick him up when she was hit from behind by Pete. Stella knew she couldn't let Pickett get back up so she grabbed her gun from her waistband. The second time Pete came at her she shot him in the knee. He screamed in pain but he didn't fall so she shot him in the other knee. Pete passed out before he hit the ground.

Stella turned back around to Pickett who was picking himself up off of the ground. Kate had come out of her cage and was helping Sawyer up.

"What did you think you were going to do Pickett?" Stella yelled. "Did you think there would be no repercussions to you killing him? You could just shoot him and it would be okay? He is not the one who killed your wife!"

"I don't care, he deserves to die!" Pickett yelled back at her.

"You are not the one to make that decision. The one who makes it is lying on a table about to die because you are standing in their way. I can't let you stand in their way any longer."

"I don't have to listen to you. You are one of them. Look what you did to Pete! You think anyone is going to trust you now? You think Ben is going to?"

"Ben will trust me. He always has. But right now it is time for us to go."

"I'm not going anywhere with you. You can go to hell."

"Are you really going to make an enemy out of me today, on this day?"

"You were always the enemy, Ben just didn't see it."

"You'll regret this Pickett." Stella said as she inched closer to him.

"No, I don't think I will." He answered.

Stella jumped and hit him hard on his head with her gun. He fell, crumpled to the ground, out cold.

Stella turned to Kate and Sawyer.

"Please, you need to leave."

"No, I'm not going anywhere without Jack." Kate said.

"You have to. He won't leave, he is operating on Ben."

"Why should we listen to you? Look at what you just did to your own guys?" Sawyer asked.

"Unless you leave now Jack is going to let my husband die. Please, he's my husband. He can't die." Stella turned to Kate. "I promise you Jack will be safe."

Sawyer was the first to give in. "Come on Freckles, we should go."

Kate shook her head. "No, not without Jack."

Stella sighed; she'd hoped it wouldn't come to this. She raised her gun and pointed it at Sawyer.

"If you don't leave now, I am going to shoot him. And then if you still don't leave, I am going to shoot you. Then I will go inside and shoot Jack."

"I thought you needed Jack to operate." Kate said.

"If you are dead then he won't finish the operation and I won't need him anymore. Do you understand?"

Kate nodded her head, "Okay, we'll leave."

"Well Teach, which way do we go to get off of this island?" Sawyer asked her.

Stella smiled at her old nickname. "Run west till you get to the beach. Then follow the shore line, you'll find a way to the other island."

"What if you are lying. How can we trust you?"

"You don't have a choice. Now go, and take the walkie and guns with you. If anyone tries to stop you, shoot them."

They both nodded and ran off into the jungle.

Stella looked to the ground where Pickett was laying. It was time to go back.

Stella threw the door of the observation room open and shoved Pickett inside. He had come to as she was dragging him back to the clinic. She pushed him into a corner and tied his arms and legs tighter. When she was done she stood up to look through the glass.

She saw the same scene as earlier, only now Jack didn't look so jumpy. Stella looked at her watch. Jack only had fifteen minutes before he had to get back to work on Ben.

Stella knocked on the glass to get Jack's attention. He looked up and she nodded letting him know that Kate and Sawyer were gone. He dipped his head and grabbed a new pair of gloves.

Once Jack went back to work Stella began to feel better. The operation took four hours and Stella could tell everyone was relieved when Jack sewed Ben up for good.

Pickett still sat in the corner with his arms and legs bound when Stella decided to go down into the operating room.

Once she was down there she stopped next to Tom. "He'll be okay Tom, I can feel it. Will you keep an eye on Pickett for me?" Tom said he would and Stella walked up to Jack.

"Thank you Jack. Thank you for helping him. I know you did what you thought you had to earlier. I want you to know that you won't be punished for anything. The same deal still holds true. You get to go home."

Jack only nodded.

"When do you think he'll wake up?" she asked.

"Any minute now." He said then walked away to clean up.

Stella walked to where Ben was lying on his side still under the anesthetic. She took his hand and sat down next to his bed. She wasn't going to leave his side until he opened his eyes.

"_**I can't see your star**_

_**Though I patiently waited bedside**_

_**For the death of today."**_

Twenty minutes later Stella saw Ben's eyes flutter. He opened his eyes and saw her smiling at him.

"I knew you would be here. That you wouldn't leave me alone." He whispered.

Stella gave him some water. "Of course I am here. I am sorry I wasn't here before the operation. Something came up."

Ben's eyebrows knitted. "What came up?"

"Don't worry about that now; all that matters is that you are okay. Jack said he was able to get the entire tumor out. You are going to be alright."

Ben smiled, "That is good news."

"How long was I under?" he asked.

"A little over five hours."

"So long?"

"Yes, there was a slight complication that arose, but it was taken care of." Stella said really not wanting Ben to worry about it now.

"A complication? Stella, tell me what happened."

"Okay, but you remember what we talked about? How I was going to take care of things until you can take over again?"

Ben nodded.

"Well I took care of it. Pickett left to kill Sawyer about ten minutes after the operation began. Then Jack cut a small hole in your kidney that only he could sew up. He did it to buy Kate and Sawyer sometime to escape and get away. They couldn't leave because Pickett was stopping them, so I took care of it."

"What did you do?"

"I stopped Pickett."

"So Kate and Sawyer are gone?"

"Yes, I made them leave. And Pickett is in the observation booth, Tom is watching him."

"I see." Ben said slowly.

"Look Ben, I don't really care right now if you agree or not, I did what I did to save you. We can rehash all of this later on, but right now I just want to sit here with you."

"Okay Stella." Ben said kissing her hand. "For the record, you are a wonderful leader."

Stella shook her head, "Thanks Ben."

Everyone gave Stella and Ben a few minutes to sit with each other before they came back into the room.

Jack and Juliet began checking Ben's vitals to make sure everything was as it should be.

Stella was standing at the end of Ben's bed when Tom came back in.

"Stella, its Pickett. He insists that he talk to you right now."

"Please tell him to wait Tom. I don't want to leave Ben."

"I think you should come Stella."

"Fine Tom, but just for a minute."

Stella went to Ben's side and kissed his forehead, "I'll be right back love."

"Hurry back." He said.

"_**So far away**_

_**It's growing colder without your love**_

**_Why can't you feel me calling your name?_**

_**Can't break the silence**_

_**It's breaking me**_

_**All my fears turn to rage."**_

Stella started for the door but was stopped by the sound of a gun cocking.

Stella turned and saw Juliet pointing a gun at her. She was very close.

"Juliet." Stella began but Juliet cut her off.

"Shut up Stella and go stand by the bed."

Juliet kept her gun on her as she slowly walked towards Ben lying on the bed. Stella stopped at the foot of it.

"Juliet what are you doing?" Jack asked when he saw her gun.

"Don't worry about it Jack, this doesn't involve you anymore."

"What are you going to do Juliet? Are you going to kill Ben yourself because Jack wouldn't do it during the operation? What is that going to prove?" Stella asked trying to think of a way to get Ben out of harms way.

"I don't have to prove anything. I'm just doing what needs to be done."

"And why does Ben need to die? What has he done to you to deserve that fate?"

"I'll tell you what he has done Stella." Juliet said her aim never leaving Stella. "He has lost his way. He brought you into our family, you! A traitor to her own people, what is going to stop you from betraying us? Ben lost sight of the mission a long time ago, when he went into that hatch with you. When he brought you back here."

Stella nodded her head, "You mean when he left you. When he abandoned you. I took your place and now you want to punish Ben by killing me? I was wrong wasn't I? You don't want to kill Ben, you want to kill me."

When Juliet didn't say anything Stella went on, "Okay Juliet, I will give you what you want. You can have your chance to kill me, let's go outside and you can finish it."

Juliet shook her head as a tear rolled down her cheek.

"You're wrong again Stella, your not the one I want to kill." Then she pulled the trigger.

"_**I can't see your star.**_

_**How can the darkness feel so wrong?"**_

Stella heard the shot fire but she didn't feel any pain. It was only when she heard Jack yell that Stella thought to turn around. There was Ben still lying in his bed, still in his hospital gown with a large flower of blood spilling from the bullet wound in his side.

Stella turned around to find Juliet, but she was gone.


	11. The Hunt

Disclaimer: I make no profit from this. Ben and all of the other Lost characters, and all of Evanescence's lyrics do not belong to me. Stella, however, is mine.

While listening to Evanescence's CD The Open Door, I realized how perfect it went with the story, so I decided to incorporate it! Each chapter goes with a song on the CD. All lyrics will be italicized.

AU: I have had to change up the timeline a bit to make everything fit. Hope it makes sense!

The Hunt

"**_All That I'm Living For"_**- Evanescence

"_**All that I'm living for**_

_**All that I'm dying for**_

_**All that I can't ignore alone at night**_

_**All that I'm wanted for**_

_**Although I wanted more"**_

Stella turned back around at the sound of Jack yelling her name. She met the same sight as before. Juliet had shot Ben in the side; there was blood everywhere.

"Stella!" Jack yelled again.

"What?" she asked unable to move.

"Get over here and put pressure on the wound."

Stella nodded but didn't move. She was brought out of her entropy when she saw Ben lift his head up to look at her. His eyes showed his fear.

Stella was by his side in a heartbeat pressing down on his side trying to help Jack.

"Stella." She heard Ben whisper.

"It's okay Ben, I'm here, right here. You are going to be alright." She tried to soothe and grabbed his hand.

As the minutes ticked away Jack continued to work at stabilizing Ben. It seemed that a lifetime passed when he finally stepped back.

"Okay, he should be alright for a little while but I need to operate again, soon."

Stella could hardly wrap her head around what just happened. Not one hour ago she had been thrilled that Ben wasn't going to die from his tumor and now here he was close to dying from a gun shot wound.

"Can you fix this Jack?"

"Yes, I think I can. But it is going to take some time."

"Please, just make him better. I can't handle much more of this and I don't think he can either."

"I'll do my best Stella."

Stella walked away from Jack to go back to Ben when Tom burst in.

"Stella we have a problem. Pickett's gone."

"How did he get away?" she asked.

"He got untied somehow. He was there before Ben got shot, then he was gone."

"Juliet must have untied him. That bitch."

"Did you just say that Pickett was gone? He's going to go after Kate now." Jack said. "I have to go help her."

"No Jack, you have to stay here and help Ben."

"No, Kate."

"Kate will be fine."

"How can you be sure?" Jack demanded.

Stella put her hand to her forehead, "Because I will go and get Pickett. That way he won't be able to get to Kate and Sawyer. Okay?"

"Fine, but you better make damn sure she doesn't get hurt."

"Okay, Jack. As long as you stay here and work on Ben I will guarantee that she isn't touched."

"Good." He said as he walked away to change his scrubs.

"_**I believe that dreams are sacred**_

_**Take my darkest fears and play them**_

_**Like a lullaby, like a reason why**_

_**Like a play of my obsessions**_

_**Make me understand the lesson**_

_**So I'll find myself**_

_**So I won't be lost again."**_

Stella sighed as she walked to Ben's bed. He was still on his side and although he was hiding it well, Stella could tell he was in a great amount of pain.

"The pain killers should kick in soon." She said as she sat next to him.

"I should have listened to you when you first told me your suspicions about Juliet." Ben said quietly.

"Shhh, now. Don't worry about that. We can't change the past. Jack said you'll make a good recovery from this."

"She had to pick this day of all the others."

"She knew you would be vulnerable. Plus, she still hoped that Jack would kill you during the operation. I'm thinking she got a little desperate when that didn't happen."

"Do you trust him?"

"I trust that he cares enough about Kate that he will do anything to make sure she is safe. Even working with us. He will take care of you Ben."

"And what about you darling, aren't you going to help take care of me?"

"Soon, very soon. First I need to tie up some loose ends floating around the island."

"You're leaving?"

"Yes love, but only for a while. I'm hoping to be back by the time Jack is done with the second operation." Stella looked up from Ben's bed as Jack walked back into the room.

"Stella, where are you going? You are going to find Juliet aren't you?" Ben asked.

Stella looked into the eyes of the man she loved and nodded. "I'm going hunting."

"_**Should it hurt to love you?**_

_**Should I feel like I do?**_

_**Should I lock the last open door?**_

_**My ghosts are gaining on me."**_

It killed her to leave Ben like he was but Stella knew she had to finish this. She left a walkie talkie with Tom with strict instructions to call her if anything out of the ordinary happened.

Before she left the clinic she stopped next to Jack.

"I'm going to get Pickett now Jack. Are you about to start?"

"Yes, I estimate it will take a few hours."

"Alright. Jack?"

"Yeah?" he asked impatiently.

"You weren't working with Juliet were you?"

Jack looked up. "No, I wasn't.

"Good. Oh Jack?"

"Yeah Stella?"

"If you try to pull another stunt like the one you pulled earlier, for whatever reason, there will not be an out this time. There will be consequences."

"Really? What kind of consequences Stella?" he asked not thoroughly convinced.

"You want to know what will happen? If you do anything at all to hurt Ben, I will go to the beach. I'll make them think it was all some big plan of the Others. I'll tell them they kidnapped me, tortured me, whatever it takes so they all trust me again. And then when they do, I am going to start killing them. I will kill every last one of them and then once they are all dead I will take you over there to see them. To see what you could have prevented. Then once you have gotten a good look, when you appreciate what your actions have caused. Then, I will kill you. Is that clear enough for you Jack?"

Jack had paled considerably. Stella knew that he believed every word she said.

"But if you help my husband, if you save him that can all be avoided. Can you do that for me Jack?"

"I can do that Stella."

"Good, now get to work, I'll be back soon."

She knew she should have felt bad for lying to Jack; after all he was helping Ben. She wasn't really going to find Pickett to stop him from getting Kate and Sawyer. She could care less what happened to them. After her threat Jack would do whatever she told him to. Stella exited the clinic and made her way to the Hydra's armory. She was going to need some serious firepower to take down Juliet.

"_**I can feel the night beginning**_

_**Separate me from the living**_

_**Understanding me**_

_**After all I've seen**_

_**Piecing every thought together**_

_**Find a way to make it better**_

_**If I only knew how to pull myself apart."**_

Stella ran through the jungle. It hadn't been hard to find Juliet's trail. Juliet was trained, as they all were, in how to move undetected through the forest. Stella figured she was more interested in getting away then she was in hiding her trail. As she ran, Stella was unable to get the sight of Ben out of her head. She kept seeing him lying on the hospital bed, blood everywhere, the look of shock on his face after Juliet had shot him. The longer the image stayed in her head the angrier she became. Ben had thought that she was just imagining things; he didn't take Juliet's actions seriously. It was obvious to her now that Juliet had been in love with Ben and that she most likely still was. It must have killed her when Ben brought Stella back with him and pregnant no less. Stella could sympathize; she would have been crushed if it had happened to her.

But like with Pickett all rational thought left her mind. Juliet had shot Ben trying to kill him. She had to be taken care of.

Stella continued to run never slowing her pace but she stopped abruptly when she heard a noise to her left. Someone was rustling the bushes. Stella got out of sight and waited to see who it was.

Pickett stepped out of the foliage and looked around. He seemed to find what he was looking for, probably Kate and Sawyer's trail and took off. Stella stood up and watched him leave. She really didn't have time to go after him but she did tell Jack that she would stop him from finding Kate and Sawyer.

Stella clenched her hands, she was losing time on Juliet and Pickett was almost out of sight. Stella looked down and saw the axe hanging from her belt. She would have to hit him just right to take him down and he was pretty far off. Stella picked up the axe and balanced it in her hand. She looked off into the distance and found Pickett. Before she could hesitate anymore she threw the axe. It sailed through the air and found its mark as Pickett grunted and fell to the ground. Stella didn't wait to see if he was dead or not, the axe had hit him across the spine most likely severing it. If he was still alive it would be a miracle.

"_**Guess I thought I'd have to change the world**_

_**To make you see me,**_

_**To be the one**_

_**I could have run forever**_

_**But how far would I have come**_

_**Without mourning your love?"**_

Stella took off again. She ran for what felt like hours until she came to a small clearing in the brush. She stopped and circled the clearing. Something didn't feel right. Suddenly a large knife flew out from the trees aimed directly at her. Stella stepped out of the way and laughed.

"Honestly Juliet, you can't beat me and you know it. Come out here and at least take it like a woman. I would hate for everyone to think of you as a coward." Stella called to the trees.

Juliet stepped into the clearing, "I am not a coward."

"Oh you aren't? Is that why you shot Ben and then ran away? You could have stayed and taken what was coming but you ran, like a coward."

Juliet took a gun out of her waistband and pointed it at Stella, "I did what needed to be done, for everyone."

"No, you decided to take revenge on Ben because he hurt you and you almost killed him in the process."

"Almost killed him? He's alive?" Juliet asked.

"Of course he is you dumb cow. If you are going to kill someone at least shoot them somewhere fatal. Ben is fine. You have done all of this for nothing."

Juliet lowered her gun a fraction of an inch. "What has Ben decided for my punishment?" she inquired quietly.

Stella laughed, "Don't you mean what have I decided for your punishment? After all, I am the one in charge, not Ben. You should be cowering to me shouldn't you?"

At this Juliet gained some of her fire back, "How could he put you in charge? If anyone it should have been me or Tom. But you, the traitor?"

"Right now I am not the one labeled traitor, that would be you. Come on, attempting to kill the leader and then releasing Pickett? Did you think everyone was going to follow you after all that? No matter what questionable things Ben has done, including bringing me here, everyone still respects him and they will follow him until the end. Just like they will follow me because he asked them to."

"I wish I would have shot you instead of him."

"I know you do. But here is your chance, you have your gun drawn and I don't. You think you can take me out before I get to you? And you'll want to make sure you actually kill me because let me tell you something. I am the one who decides your punishment and I've decided that since you tried to kill my husband, I am going to kill you."

"But he isn't dead." Juliet began to plead.

"That doesn't matter. I warned you to leave him alone and you didn't listen. I am not going to give you another chance to hurt him again."

Juliet had begun to shake and Stella walked towards her. "Come on Juliet, take your shot."

For whatever reason Juliet didn't shoot her. Stella was able to walk right up to her and take the gun out of her hands. This had been easier then she thought it would be.

"You really love him don't you?" Juliet asked.

"Of course I do, he is everything. But you already know that." Stella said raising the gun to Juliet's chest.

"Yes, yes I do." Juliet replied closing her eyes.

"Goodbye Juliet." Stella said as she pulled the trigger. She kept pulling until there were no more bullets and all she heard was a dull clicking coming from the gun. There was no doubt that Juliet was dead.


	12. The Return

Disclaimer: I make no profit from this. Ben and all of the other Lost characters, and all of Evanescence's lyrics do not belong to me. Stella, however, is mine.

While listening to Evanescence's CD The Open Door, I realized how perfect it went with the story, so I decided to incorporate it! Each chapter goes with a song on the CD. All lyrics will be italicized.

AU: I have had to change up the timeline a bit to make everything fit. Hope it makes sense!

The Return

"**_The Only One"_** –Evanescence

"_**When they all come crashing down mid-flight**_

_**You know you're not the only one**_

_**When they're so alone they find a back door out of this life**_

_**You know you're not the only one."**_

Stella trudged back through the jungle heading for the clinic. Jack should be finishing up Ben's surgery any minute and she wanted to be back when he woke up. She had left Juliet lying in the jungle where she had killed her. She would send someone out for her body, and Pickett's later.

"_**We're all grieving**_

_**Lost and bleeding."**_

Stella thought of the last few months and wondered what had happened to her. Sayid had been right. When she had crashed on the island with everyone else she had been a shy, scared first grade teacher. And now look at her. She had killed two people, injured many others and didn't feel any remorse for it. Had she become a monster?

She knew she had done it all for Ben. She felt so strongly for him that she had done anything and everything she could to protect him. But she wondered if he would do the same for her. Stella knew that Ben loved her but would he be willing to kill people to protect her? Stella shook her head as she walked. Ben was not the killing type. She didn't know if he had ever killed anyone but if she had to guess she would say no. And that was okay. Stella didn't want him to ever face that decision. She knew he would take care of her in his own way, like he had from the beginning.

"_**All our lives**_

_**We've been waiting**_

_**For someone to call our leader**_

_**All your lies**_

_**I'm not believing**_

_**Heaven shine your light down one me"**_

This led Stella back to her now being the leader, being in charge. Did being able to kill make her a better leader then Ben? Or did it just make her more rash in making decisions? When Stella would decide to just take them out and be rid of the problem for good, Ben would think ahead and have them serve a purpose like he had with Sayid. Or was it the combination of them both that was going to serve as the best way? It could turn out that they would lead stronger together than apart.

Stella decided to stop analyzing everything so much and just let things be. She couldn't decide the future or change what had happened in the past, but she could be there for her husband.

"_**Don't look down**_

_**Don't look into the eyes of the world beneath you**_

_**Don't look down, you'll fall down**_

_**You'll become their sacrifice**_

_**Right or wrong**_

_**Can't hold onto the fear that I'm lost without you**_

_**If I can't feel, I'm not mine**_

_**I'm not real."**_

She pushed open the door to the clinic and saw Ben sitting up smiling at her.

"Ben." Was all she could say and she ran over to his bed.

"Hello darling." He said engulfing her in his arms.

"How did everything go?" she asked him.

"Jack said it went perfectly. I will be fully recovered in a matter or weeks."

"That quick? That is amazing!" Stella said squeezing Ben's hand.

"Stella love, is everything okay?" he asked.

"It is now Ben, it is now."

"What happened out there?" he asked softly.

Stella nodded her head, "Juliet is dead. So is Pickett."

Ben looked at Stella and could tell that the events of the day had finally caught up with her. He pulled her up onto the bed next to him and laid her head on his shoulder.

"Listen Stella, you did what was right, what had to be done. You did more then I could have done. But now that it is all over I want you to relax alright? You are here with me and no one is going to change that."

"I love you Ben." Stella said hugging him tighter.

"I love you too darling."

"_**So afraid to open your eyes, hypnotized**_

_**You know you're not the only one**_

_**Never understood this life**_

_**And you're right I don't deserve**_

_**But you know I'm not the only one."**_

As Ben recovered many different things happened. Their son Eamon said his first word, "Dada" one day while they were all sitting together in Ben's room. For the first time Stella saw Ben cry tears of joy. Kate and Sawyer made it back to their island with the other castaways. Stella stepped into her role as leader seamlessly. Roles and positions were switched around to replace Juliet and Pickett and anyone who sided with or assisted them.

Ben and Stella held true to their word and two weeks after the operations Jack got to go home. Stella took him herself and as she was about to leave him he asked her if she ever thought about going home herself.

She was able to answer easily and truthfully, "I'm already there Jack. Ben is my home; as is our son. Anywhere they are; that is where I belong."


End file.
